Jon Liedtke joins 610 CKTB’s Gene Valaitis for his regular weekly segment, Liedtke’s Got a Take!
Jon Liedtke humorously discusses Canada–US trade negotiations. Liedtke created food-and-drink acronyms like POUTINE, MAPLE SYRUP, BUTTER TART, BOOZE, BOURBON, CAESAR, DOUBLE DOUBLE, TIMBITS, and BLT to lampoon tariff deadlines, liquor store concessions, temporary grace periods, and ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Transcript (Gemini Generated):
Gene Valaitis: Now, normally, Jon Liedtke with Liedtke’s Got a Take is coming up on a Friday at 9:15, and he’ll be back tomorrow as well. But I got this email all of a sudden, and Jon said, “I got a take, I got a take!” Good morning, Jon!
Jon Liedtke: Good morning, Gene!
Gene Valaitis: Let me just tell you, you made me laugh my face off!
Jon Liedtke: I’m glad!
Gene Valaitis: Yeah! Well, we’re talking about—well, it was the Wednesday deadline for the tariffs, 50% on things like cement, honey, flowers, hockey sticks… but Canada and the US did reach a deal. Now, Trump said “deal,” Mark Carney, well he hasn’t really said anything at all. But you’ve come up with some of your own great acronyms, and we’ll get to those. And you know, it starts with this one: TACO. You know, every time trade threats hit a wall, American commentators scream, “TACO! Trump Always Chickens Out!” But after this three-day reprieve, how should Canadians actually read this extension?
Jon Liedtke: Hey, thanks for having me on, Gene, just to chat about this one. I don’t know if I’m hungry right now or if I’ve got heartburn after watching these negotiations on this extension. One minute we’re boycotting bourbon, the next minute all provinces are being asked to put it back on the shelves to buy us what, three days more of negotiating? That’s our entire leverage that we have and it’s being given up. Hopefully this does get a deal. But, you know, the TACO is one thing. I’m putting on the menu right now a POUTINE: Pushing Out Ultimatums Temporarily In Negotiation Extension.
Gene Valaitis: What a great Canadian negotiating term, POUTINE!
Jon Liedtke: Well, I mean, look, let’s be honest though, right? Pushing back a tariff deadline by 72 hours is not a signed treaty. It’s just moving the goalposts so both sides can claim that they’re working through the weekend, or to the weekend, we’ll see what happens, excuse me. It gives Washington the deadline and it gives Ottawa a bit of a breather.
Gene Valaitis: Yeah. Which, as you say in your next acronym, that’s all about MAPLE SYRUP.
Jon Liedtke: Yeah, well, I mean listen, we all need a, you know, Mediated Agreement Provides Limited Ease Seeking Yesterday’s Rates Unfortunately Postponed.
Gene Valaitis: Love it! Now Trump was on the White House lawn yesterday afternoon claiming US farmers won zero tariffs and that Canadian negotiators basically caved on a couple of very key trade points. So, is Ottawa actually rolling over here?
Jon Liedtke: I don’t think so. You know, like, listen, with MAPLE SYRUP, we understand that negotiations, much like pancakes, often need a little bit of lubricant. That’s where the maple syrup comes in. But, you know, I’m also one to have a little bit of dessert after breakfast sometimes, and I know you love your butter tarts as well, Gene…
Gene Valaitis: Okay, I can’t wait for what this stands for! Okay…
Jon Liedtke: Well look, I mean look, BUTTER TARTs take time to bake, trade agreements take even longer, which is why Bilateral Understanding Takes Time, Effort, Respect—Terrifying Anxiety Refreshes Timelines.
Gene Valaitis: BUTTER TART! Perfectly! Now, the Premier of Nova Scotia has let it be known that the Prime Minister asked him to put American spirits, wine, and beer back on the shelves; he has agreed. There’s a report in the Toronto Sun this morning from Lorrie Goldstein saying that Ford has apparently agreed to put American booze back on the shelves of the LCBO. So, you have an acronym for that called—well, interestingly enough—BOOZE.
Jon Liedtke: Well, BOOZE: Backpedaling On Overly Zealous Embargoes. But specifically, we were talking about bourbon here, which is I think a lot of people were talking about. I heard Peter Sherman talking about his Woodford Reserve, so he’ll be happy to know we’re going to get that back on our shelves, because BOURBON: Bloviating On Unfair Restrictions Booeys Our Negotiators.
Gene Valaitis: Yeah. You’re cracking me up! What is the acronym for BOURBON again?
Jon Liedtke: Bloviating On Unfair Restrictions Booeys Our Negotiators. You know, we go on and on about it, and it gives our negotiators a little bit more leverage to push back on.
Gene Valaitis: Yeah. Well, anybody who’s ever enjoyed a brunch, you know, it’s the ultimate Canadian drink. I introduced this drink to Americans when I was living in Huntington Beach and they couldn’t believe it. And that, of course, is the CAESAR.
Jon Liedtke: Oh, the CAESAR is something that we should all be pouring right now to celebrate once we do get this trade deal, because we’ll understand that Canadian Alcohol Embargo Shelved Allows Rejoice. It’s consensual Canadian diplomacy, Gene!
Gene Valaitis: Oh! Now, our trade negotiators are still in Washington today and they’re working overtime because this all has to have the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed by Friday evening. And in total Canadian coffee talk, you call this—and I can’t wait for this acronym—the DOUBLE DOUBLE.
Jon Liedtke: Well, Ottawa is running the entire trade strategy like it’s a Tim Hortons drive-thru! They did order the DOUBLE DOUBLE: Diplomatic Overtime Unlocked By Legal Extensions—Drinks Offset Urgent Border Levy Extortions. They added a little bit of sugar with the liquor store concessions to sweeten up Washington. They’re doubling down on the DOUBLE DOUBLE!
Gene Valaitis: The DOUBLE DOUBLE! Now, so where does this constant back-and-forth leave Canadian businesses, manufacturers, families, farmers, who are basically, you know, watching everything and living deadline to deadline? I’m sure you’ve got an acronym for that one, too.
Jon Liedtke: You know, I wish I could say I’ve got a whole doughnut for you here, Gene, but it’s just, you know, people are being fed TIMBITS: Trade Impasse Mediated Brief Interim Truce Secured. TIMBITS! You can’t run a manufacturing plant or manage a farm on a TIMBITS policy though, Gene. We need more than tiny, bite-sized, three-day grace periods.
Gene Valaitis: Oh, listen to these acronyms from Liedtke this morning! POUTINE, MAPLE SYRUP, BUTTER TART, BOOZE, BOURBON, CAESAR, DOUBLE DOUBLE, and TIMBITS! You know, that introduction for me is, “Is this guy brilliant or crazy?” I’m starting to wonder about you now!
Jon Liedtke: Well, just think about how late I had to stay up with my own double doubles last night to come up with these!
Gene Valaitis: Hey, on a serious note, do you think this thing is going to be signed by Friday?
Jon Liedtke: I sure hope so. I mean, look, we need this to get past. I mean, I love the people who say that we can do without the United States as our major trading partner, and I say, “Okay, that sounds great in 2036, but it’s the next 10 years I’m a little bit concerned about.” So if we can get things back to the way they used to be, if border communities like yours, like mine down here in Windsor, could get back to the way things used to be at full, you know, full steam ahead, that’d be great.
Gene Valaitis: Yeah.
Jon Liedtke: Well, you know there’s this Polymarket thing, and I mentioned this to Peter Sherman earlier. Unfortunately, you know, in case you don’t know, Polymarket is a site where you can go and bet on world events, and it’s a fascinating site. But you can’t bet from Canada, or at least Ontario. But you know what? If I was a gambling man—and sometimes I am, I love going to the racetrack—I would throw $50 down on this thing not being signed by Friday, because Trump is Trump is Trump is Trump.
Jon Liedtke: Huh, you know what? I’ll take the opposite to that. What’s the action on it, Gene? Listen, at the end of the day, I think we can all just understand, though, that we just want a BLT to fill ourselves up: Bi-Lateral Trade.
Gene Valaitis: Okay, I can’t take it anymore! That was your best take ever, thank you!
Jon Liedtke: Thank you, Gene!
Gene Valaitis: Ah, Jon Liedtke! Liedtke’s got a take. Man, that was a classic!
This aired on 610 CKTB
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